Carlos slammed on the brakes, opened the door, and pulled me out and up into his arms. We were running before I drew a breath. I looked over his shoulder and saw Grey carrying Bethi and Luke running beside them. The three of them let us get a fair lead, but not enough though. Not enough for what was waiting ahead. I could hear the fight echoing off the towering rock walls.
“Close yourselves off,” I warned. “Bethi, we need you. Don’t let me take a thing, or I swear I’ll never let you get high again.”
“I’ll be tighter than a virgin on prom night. Promise,” she yelled back.
Despite the dire situation, I almost laughed.
“Keep your warped-self safe.”
We came up from behind. Those Urbat pushing forward, wanting a piece of the fight, fell to their knees with my first pull.
I pushed out right away, not letting the emotions sit inside me for more than a heartbeat. There were too many. I glanced back at Bethi, who gave me a cool thumbs-up.
“I’m good,” she yelled. “But our friends aren’t. Start kicking some ass.”
I looked at the fray and saw groups of werewolves dotted within the mass of Urbat. In the center of it all were Charlene, Olivia, and Michelle. Blood soaked their clothes. Michelle looked like she’d thrown up on herself. Around them, their Mates and the Elders fought frantically. Some of the outer mass of Urbat saw us and turned.
I patted Carlos’s shoulder, and he set me down. Grey set Bethi down a distance to my right. She had her knife out and in her hand a second later.
“Bitches give stitches. Who’s first?” Bethi yelled.
The Urbat snarled and charged toward us. I pulled and pushed, watching the Urbat fall like dominos. Those smart enough to block themselves off, Luke and Bethi finished. Carlos watched my left as we moved forward slowly. Grey protected us from any who attempted to go wide and circle around.
“Blake Torrin!” I yelled. “You took something from me. Now, I’m going to take everything from you.”
The fighting slowed, and the Urbat backed up. Two wolves fought in the center, not far from where the rest stood.
“Shields,” I yelled.
One of the wolves jumped away, shifting before he landed. The dark-haired man had cuts covering his bare body from head to toe. The other wolf shifted. Jim looked like shit. Pissed shit.
“Isabelle, so good to meet you at last,” Blake said smoothly. “There’s no need for you to use your powers, my dear. We both know what will happen. And despite what you think of me, I don’t want any of you damaged.”
“Then back off.”
“Certainly.”
He stepped away from Jim. The men around him took a few steps back, too.
I strode forward, pulling ever so slightly as I approached the group. I noticed Gabby sitting on the ground by Sam. Tears had washed clean paths down her cheeks. I couldn’t look too closely, though. I didn’t want to see why Sam’s chest was so bloody. I couldn’t afford to go back to that night.
Bethi and I joined the other Judgements. I could feel Carlos behind me. As I reached out with my right hand to take Bethi’s, Carlos put his hands on my shoulders, giving me whatever support he could.
Bethi held her hand out to Gabby while I reached for Michelle with my left hand.
Sam nodded slightly to Gabby, who wiped her eyes and stood. She clasped Bethi’s hand as Michelle clasped Olivia’s.
“Oh,” Blake said. “I forgot to mention, I invited a few more to our party. Wouldn’t want this Judgement ending on the wrong note.”
Twenty-Four
OLIVIA…
Blake’s words sent a chill through me.
The Others swirled around us in a frantic frenzy as a strip of weak darkness appeared in the center of our circle. I didn’t know what it was, but it felt hungry. We needed to hurry. Ignoring Blake’s ominous comment, I clasped Charlene’s hand as Michelle did the same. Immediately, a string of light drifted from Charlene, the end floating toward the dark line, and Charlene’s grasp tightened on mine.
“The Judgement can’t be made alone. There’s a reason we’ve Claimed mates. Thomas, hold Charlene,” I said. “It’s starting.”
